Coprosma plant named ‘ALDAWN’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Coprosma plant named ‘ALDAWN’ that is characterized by its variegated foliage dark purple-green centers and margins that are vibrant pink in late summer and fall with cool temperatures.

Genus/species: Coprosma repens.

Varietal denomination: ‘ALDAWN’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant VarietyOffice (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2022/0668 filed onMar. 12, 2022, under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which isincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coprosmarepens and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘ALDAWN’.‘ALDAWN’ represents a new cultivar of evergreen shrub grown forlandscape use.

The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventor in autumn of 2016 as anaturally occurring branch mutation of Coprosma ‘Pacific Dawn’ (notpatented) in a trial field in Waunfawr, Gwynedd, United Kingdom.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor by softwood stem cuttings in 2019 in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, TheUnited Kingdom. Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by softwood stemcuttings has determined that the characteristics are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new Coprosma. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘ALDAWN’ as a unique cultivar of Coprosma.

-   -   1. ‘ALDAWN’ exhibits variegated foliage dark purple-green        centers and margins that are vibrant pink when in late summer        and fall with cool temperatures.

The parent plant of ‘ALDAWN’, differs from ‘ALDAWN’ in having foliagethat is less intense in color. ‘ALDAWN’ can be most closely compared tothe Coprosma cultivars ‘Pacific Night’ (not patented) and ‘Fire Burst’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,906). Both ‘Pacific Night’ and ‘Fire Burst’ aresimilar to ‘ALDAWN’ in having colored foliage. ‘Pacific Night’ differsfrom ‘ALDAWN’ in having foliage that is dark purple in color and a morenarrow and upright plant habit. ‘Fire Burst’ differs from ‘ALDAWN’ inhaving foliage variegation that is purple and pink-red in color and amore rounded plant habit.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales that fall within a one-year grace period prior to the filing date.Disclosures include website listings by Genesis Plant Marketing (thebreeder's representative), Shoot Gardening, Worfield Plants, KernockPark Plants, Gardeners Dream (and Amazon), Carbeth Plants, Grasslands,Twitter (by inventor) and GuiadeJardineria.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of the new Coprosma. The photographs In FIG. 1and FIG. 2 were taken of a 2-year-old plant as grown in a greenhouse ina P-9 container in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, The United Kingdom.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of‘ALDAWN’ in summer.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘ALDAWN’ in summer.

The Photograph in FIG. 3 was taken of a 2-year-old plant growing in atrial garden in Colchester, Essex, The United Kingdom and provides aview of the fall foliage of ‘ALDAWN’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Coprosma.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 2-year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown in a greenhouse in P-9 containers in Caernarfon,Gwynedd, The United Kingdom The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, asit has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, broadly upright.        -   Plant shape.—Obovate.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 43 cm in height and 37 cm            in spread as a 2-year-old plant as grown in a P-9 container.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 8 to 10.        -   Diseases and pest resistance.—No susceptibility or            resistance to diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—About 3 weeks to initiate roots and 10            weeks to produce a young plant from a rotted cutting.-   Branch description:    -   -   Branch color.—Young; a blend of 152A and 199A, mature; a            blend of 199A and 199B, internodes; 199B, tinged 182C, older            stems and bark; 197A to 197C.        -   Branch size.—Up to 17 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter.        -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem quantity.—An average of 2 main branches and 34 lateral            branches per plant.        -   Branch surface.—Glossy, glabrous.        -   Branch aspect.—Main branch; vertical, lateral branch average            angle of 50°.        -   Branch habit.—Main stems grow from base with lateral            branches.        -   Branch strength.—Strong.        -   Internode length.—An average of 2.8 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 14 (7 pairs) per lateral            branch.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 4 cm in length, 2.1 cm in width.        -   Leaf shape.—Broadly ovate to broadly oblong.        -   Leaf base.—Long acuminate.        -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse to broadly, bluntly acute.        -   Leaf aspect.—Flattened, average of 50° to lateral branch.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface color; 152A, lower            surface 178A.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire and undulate.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glossy and glabrous.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; a blend of NN137B and 146A,            occasionally flushed with 137C and 138A, irregularly broadly            margined 6D, top tinged 35C, thin outside line along margin            35A, young lower surface; irregularly broadly margined 6D            and 8C, top tinged 35C, thin outside line along margin 35A,            mature upper surface; 147A, top tinged N199B, irregularly            broadly margined 51A and 51B, thin outside line along margin            51A, mature lower surface; 138B, irregularly broadly            margined 51C, thin outside line along margin 51A, in late            summer and fall upper surface; a blend of N186A and N189A            with margins N57C, in late summer and fall lower surface;            N189C with margins N57D.        -   Petioles.—1.1 cm in length, average of 1.75 mm in width at            the widest point, 1.25 mm in width at the narrowest point,            strong, both surfaces are smooth, glabrous and glossy, upper            surface color 152B, lower surface color 199A to 199B.-   Flower description: Flowers have not been observed to date, flowers    of the species are known to be absent or very insignificant and    briefly present if produced.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coprosma plant named‘ALDAWN’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.